Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government Thursday banned Paraquat, a highly toxic substance used as an herbicide.
The herbicide is used to control undesired plants on farms, in commercial forests, and on lawns and managed landscapes. It is also sometimes applied directly to surface water for aquatic weed control, an official said.
“The decision has been taken in view of public safety and to prevent adverse impact of the chemical on human health and animals,” an official said, adding that with the ban order coming into effect, the sale, manufacture and use of this toxic chemical, Paraquat has been prohibited in the entire state.
As per the provisions of the Insecticides Act, 1968, the ban will be initially effective for a period of two months. The state government after eliciting scientific opinion from research institutions and other stakeholders will also propose the central government for a permanent ban on this chemical in Odisha, he said.
After getting feedback under the ‘Mo Sarkar’ (my government) initiative, the Chief Minister’s Office advised the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment to examine the matter of banning Paraquat to prevent any further loss of human lives due to poisoning cases.
In another significant decision, the state government has now made it mandatory for a prescription by designated officials of the agriculture and relevant government departments, as well as scientists of OUAT and Agriculture Research institutes, for the sale of pesticides and agrochemicals by authorized dealers.
Detailed guidelines will be worked out by the Department of Agriculture, the official said, adding that this will lead to proper usage of pesticides and agrochemicals as advocated by research scientists, thus reducing the harm on farmers and the environment.
PTI
